Tage Thompson netted two goals on Saturday, delivering the go-ahead strike with 6:20 remaining in the third period to lift the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. The win extends Buffalo’s road point streak to seven games and marks their third straight victory overall.
The Sabres controlled large portions of the contest before letting the Kings back into the game through a series of penalties. Jack Quinn contributed a goal and an assist for Buffalo, while Zach Benson and Rasmus Dahlin each added two assists. Between the pipes, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned away 27 shots to secure the two points.
Thompson and Special Teams Power Sabres Past Kings
Buffalo asserted control early in the opening frame, though they only managed a single goal to show for it. Quinn capitalized on a power play at 6:35, netting his eighth goal of the season to put the visitors ahead. Even as Los Angeles began generating sustained momentum during the latter half of the second period, the Sabres doubled their lead when Thompson buried his ninth goal with just 4:22 remaining before the second intermission.
Tage Thompson capitalized on his opportunity scoring the Sabres 2nd goal of the game. The Kings had plenty of chances and UPL came through challenging the shooters. The kings successfully challenged a no goal call and Corey Perry got the credit for that one. pic.twitter.com/dGdfdS8mnr
The Kings refused to roll over. Corey Perry put Los Angeles on the scoreboard with a power-play marker with 2:36 left in the middle stanza, a sequence that required a successful coach’s challenge by the home bench to overturn an initial goaltender interference call. Just 1:29 into the final period, Andre Lee evened the score at 2-2, capitalizing on the shift in momentum.
However, undisciplined play eventually hurt the hosts. With the game deadlocked late in regulation, Thompson struck again on a power play at 13:40 of the third. The forward rifled a one-timer past Anton Forsberg off a crisp feed from Quinn, restoring Buffalo’s lead and sealing the road victory.
Lineup Adjustments and Upcoming Schedule
Los Angeles played the contest without top forward Adrian Kempe, who remains listed as day-to-day due to an undisclosed injury. In his absence, Martin Chromiak made his NHL debut, immediately slotting into Kempe’s vacated spot on the team’s first line and power-play unit. Forsberg finished the night with 28 saves for the Kings in a losing effort.
Looking ahead to the upcoming schedule, the Sabres host the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Kings will look to bounce back when they welcome the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday.
